This year (2016) marks the 107th Lebanon Strawberry Festival in Lebanon, Oregon, which was started in 1909 to celebrate the Mid-Willamette Valley strawberry. The festivities begin Thursday, June 2nd and continue through Sunday the 5th at Cheadle Lake Regional Park.
One of the claims to fame for this festival is the annual construction of the world’s largest strawberry shortcake. How large a cake is it? Well, it will feed 15,000 people. It weighs almost three tons. The recipe calls for 18 cups of vanilla. That’s right, cups! The organizers thoughtfully set aside about a thousand pieces of shortcake to be delivered to folks unable to make it to the festival: hospital patients, senior home residents, and on-duty police and fire personnel.
The Grand Parade will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday. There will also be a Junior Parade at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Also planned: a country fair, live musical performances, karaoke, a magic show, a dance class, a 5K run/walk, and a carnival. For all the details, see the festival website.
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